Apple has lost its
appeal against a ruling that cleared rival Samsung of copying its registered
designs for tablet computers, in a decision which could end the two firms’ legal dispute on the subject across
Europe.

The world’s two leading smartphone makers are
fighting over patents, both for smartphones and for tablets like Apple’s iPad, in courts around the world

22.10.12

TWENTY teachers of
three schools who were absent from their duty posts when Edo State Governor
Adams Oshiomhole paid unscheduled visits to the schools have been dismissed.

Oshiomhole who
disclosed this during an unscheduled visit to Asoro Primary School, Emokpae
Model Primary School, Western Boys High School, George Idah Model School and
Esonere Primary School in Benin City also ordered deductions from the salaries
of some teachers who got to their schools after the 8 a.m. resumption time

Chelsea’s John Terry will not appeal against his
four-match ban and 220,000-pound fine for racially insulting Queens Park
Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, the player said in a statement on Thursday.

Terry, 31, was
found guilty by a Football Association (FA) tribunal of using a racial slur
towards Ferdinand during a Premier League match at Loftus Road in October 2011.

The centre back
was acquitted in a court of law for the same offence and always maintained his
innocence but apologised on Thursday for the language he used in his
altercation with Ferdinand.

European champions
Chelsea released a statement saying they had taken disciplinary action against
the former England captain, but did not reveal the details of any additional
punishment.

“After careful consideration, I have decided
not to appeal against the FA judgment,” Terry said.

“I want to take this opportunity to
apologise to everyone for the language I used in the game against Queens Park
Rangers last October.

“Although I’m disappointed with the FA judgment, I accept that the
language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable on the football
field or indeed in any walk of life.”

The Chelsea
captain will now miss Saturday’s match
against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, as well as two matches against
Manchester United, including a League Cup tie, and a trip to Swansea City.

Terry, whose
defence was described by the FA commission that banned him as “improbable, implausible and contrived” had two weeks to study the full written
reasons for the decision.

Chelsea welcomed
his decision to let the matter lie and said they were imposing their own
sanctions on the player.

“Chelsea Football Club believes John Terry
has made the correct decision by not appealing against the FA judgment relating
to language he used at the QPR match last October,” the club said in a statement on their website
(www.chelseafc.com).

“Chelsea also appreciates, and supports,
John’s full apology for the language he used.
The club firmly believes such language is not acceptable and fell below the
standards expected of John as a Chelsea player.

“The Board has conducted its own
investigation into the matter, and considered the various issues involved. The
Board has taken further disciplinary action in addition to the four-match
suspension and £220,000 fine imposed by the FA. In accordance with our
long-standing policy, that disciplinary action will remain confidential.

“Chelsea enjoys support all over the world.
We have players and supporters from many different countries and cultures and
our club is committed to eradicating all forms of discriminatory behaviour.
John is fully committed to continue supporting that ongoing work.”

21.10.12

THE plans by one
Oluigboka Emmanuel Chukwuemeka to become rich overnight has ended up in
detention, as he has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) in connection with 2.472kg of cocaine hidden inside jewelry.

The 33-year-old
suspect, according to the anti-narcotic agency, arrived from Brazil aboard a
KLM flight and was intercepted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport
(MMIA), Lagos.

IN a bid to reduce
the sufferings of flood victims, the Benue Government has planned a joint
partnership with the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to purchase houses to
resettle some of the displaced persons in the state.

Meanwhile, the
Zonal Coordinator, North-Central Zone, Jos, National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA), Mr. Adulsalam Mohammed has disclosed that six councils in Benue
State were most affected by the disaster.

Governor Gabriel
Suswam who made the statement during the donation of relief material by the
Sir, Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation at Government House, Makurdi assured that
those who lost farmland would also be compensated financially.

He however
expressed fears of imminent food shortage and appealed to the Federal
Government as well as the international community to aid the State in this
direction.

Suswam while expressing appreciation to the foundation
for the donation promised that it would not be diverted to other uses but would
be distributed directly to the flood victims across the state.

BRITISH computer
hacker’s decade-long struggle to avoid trial in
the U.S. over alleged breaches of military and the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) networks ended in success on Tuesday, as the UK
government ruled he was unfit to face charges there.

OFFICIALS of
Enyimba Football Club of Aba have gone bowl in hand trying to see how to
resolve the cash crunch that is threatening to derail the team’s plans for next season.

An official of the
team told The Guardian yesterday that the team is in danger of being caught
unprepared for the new season, which begins on December 1 due to lack of funds
to begin preparations for the season.

He revealed that
the club owes some of the players’ arrears
of sign-on fees and other entitlements, adding that some of the stars have
started deserting the team for greener environments

Battle against
terrorism got legislative boost Wednesday as the Senate passed the amended
version of the Anti-terrorism Bill forwarded by the Executive. The bill
endorsed a life sentence for terrorists.

Presenting the
report of the Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Judiciary,
Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and
Anti-Corruption, the Chairman, Senator Mohammed Magoro, said the committee
endorsed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) “will be the co-ordinating body for
counter-terrorism measures in the country; this is to ensure timely and
well-co-ordinated response by all law enforcement and security agencies which
are to continue to perform their statutory roles with respect to
counter-terrorism and other violent acts in the country.”

The bill also
touches on offences against Internationally-Protected Persons. According to the
version that was passed, “the
offences covered such as financing of terrorism and acts preparatory to or in
furtherance of an act of terrorism; being an accessory to any offence under
this Act; contributing to the commission of any act of terrorism have now been
expressly provided for.”

The punishment for
the offences have been made more stringent as some attract life imprisonment,
others attract up to 10 years imprisonment depending on the magnitude.

The committee
noted that the absence of a national co-ordinator had affected collaboration
among security agencies fighting terrorism.

The amendments
were passed by the chamber.

Besides, as the
National Assembly begins deliberations on the 2013 budget proposal, the Senate
has resolved to tackle the Executive over issues relating to the nation’s revenue.

Also on the
war-path with the Executive over the budget is All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP), which has carpeted President Goodluck Jonathan for not making enough
budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector.

The ANPP accused
President Jonathan of treating with levity the claim that he is not paying
attention to food security in the 2013 budget proposal.

In a statement
issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneukwu, the ANPP is
appalled that the agricultural sector got a mere two per cent of the 2013
budgetary proposals.